From NBC: "But Parker's ancestry -- his mother is from the Polynesian island of Tonga -- also makes him the highest-ranked Asian-Pacific Islander ever to be drafted by the NBA."

From PhilStar: "Filipino-American player Jordan Clarkson has been acquired by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2014 NBA Draft on Friday morning [...] Clarkson, a shooting guard from the Missouri Tigers, has a Filipino mother."

I saw this on the Consumerist about a customer who received his e-mail receipt only to see that it said it was signed by "CHIN".

Nice huh?

I guess his first or last name or initials just couldn't suffice because why on earth would someone recognize that they're actually a person with a name?

Glad to hear though that UPS already has taken action with the driver - although it would be nice to know what exactly happened to the driver - and that they have also reached out to the customer to apologize as well (known only as "J" in the article).

I'm not exactly sure why a paint company would name a paint color "Confederate Red" memorializing the "good 'ol days" of the Confederate States of America because when you think about the connotation of the word "Confederate" that's really all that comes to mind.

What I like the most that people are saying about this, and that has been said before, is that our police officers really do need to diffuse situations versus escalating them - they need to learn when to just let things be versus using power for power's sake - and I feel this was a prime example of that - because jaywalking should't have escalated into a beat-down.

If you needed some awesome Friday music love complete with dream sequences, alternate realities, horses, diamonds (because aren't they a girl's best friend?), mean girls, and Kansas (well kind of...) this episode is for you.

With the NBA Draft coming tonight I thought I would post some news on Jason Brickman who had either looked to play in the NBA or overseas and if you didn't know - he's starting out his career with the Dynamo Moscow in the Russian Superleague where other NBA players including Jannero Pargo and Trajan Langdon have played.

First, any thoughts about this being an Asian versus Black thing can be left at the door - because it's just not like that and never will be.

Second, while I use the word racism in the headline, I do believe that communities of color can't be racist simply because of the nature of the word and all it entails. But at the same time, some Black folks just like some White folks can be stuck in the same mindset when it comes to Asian Americans, and in this case, this is one of those times, and I'm gonna call it like I see it.

So on we dive...

1. I just have issues with a dude who's pronunciation is a slur to the Asian American community, because while I'm happy for a man of color to get his due, I'm not into him getting his due with a name like that.

2. I'll never buy his album or go to his concerts and I hope that ALL POC who have a fucking clue won't buy that shit either - and think about a show where everyone is calling out his name - or chanting it nice and loud together as a group - yeah I wouldn't want to be in that crowd either.

3. Did you hear how the guy got his stage name (because apparently Lionel wouldn't be that cool)? From the Wiki of the Pedia:

He said he got the name "Chinx Drugz", "since I used to smoke a lot of weed back in the day, and this older chick used to call me chinkey and it stuck.

Ummm....okay - glad it stuck...and yes, while he may have had some other things to worry about while he was pulling himself up, Lionel, or his management, should have figured out that at some point, this might become an issue. And yes, since you know the genesis for his name, you can't defend it.

4. What the hell is BET and 106 And Park doing promoting this guy? Really? I've defended BET to crazy ass White Kids in the past when they've asked dumbass questions about why it was needed, and I still will if things like that come up again, but you can be sure about this - I'm not defending their choice to promote this guy.

What's next - a White Guy in Yellow Face rapping on 106 And Park?

5. Love thinking about how if this guy gets ubber famous they'll be White and Black kids all over the world slyly saying his name to Asian American kids with a wink and a beatdown...because that's what's going to happen - if it isn't happening already - because when you promote a guy like this you're giving ammunition to bully Asian American kids by racists and xenophobes.

I may not have filmed it, but you know, that's just me - but only because I don't think I could handle the hordes of men and women knocking down my door after they saw the video, because who wouldn't want a piece of naked Viet Am goodness?

And I'm sure I'd probably taste good too but only because of the chicken grease oozing from my pores...

For anyone that wants to get me random gifts (and why wouldn't you?) feel free to pick me up a copy of Pulitzer Prize winning Alex Tizon's "Big Little Man" because it just sounds like I should read this (albeit each word with my lips moving up and down because I have a hard time reading the comics).

Tizon’s book is at once a ruthlessly honest personal story and a devastating critique of contemporary American culture, which spews demeaning and inaccurate assumptions about Asian-American males. If they don’t come immediately to mind, the stereotypes become abundantly clear in Tizon’s thorough treatment of the topic. This is frank, straight talk about race and gender that will take you out of your comfort zone. “Most of us, when imagining an All-American, wouldn’t picture a man who looked like me,” writes Tizon, who is of Filipino descent. “Not even I would.”

At their age I could barely figure out what way to put my underwear on (and truth be told, I still have an issue with that) much less speak with such deftness on the issues of race and historical perspective.

"If there isn't a doll anymore then it's kind of sending the wrong message to every Asian girl saying you are not important and you are not a part of American history, you are not a part of America and that's wrong," Ayden Her said.

I was reading this article in the NY Times and while I haven't seen the show "Here Lies Love", they do call it a game changer, and while they also do invoke the crapalaptic show that is "Miss Saigon" (and the controversies that surround it too) - maybe things do change after all.

The biggest game-changer is “Here Lies Love,” one of those rare musicals that become critically acclaimed commercial hits Off Broadway and have an open-ended run. Even more uncommon, it’s all about an Asian character. The subject is Imelda Marcos, the former first lady of the Philippines. With a cast of 17, the show is the first in years to offer the prospect of steady employment to Asian-American actors. Productions of “Here Lies Love” are also in the works for San Francisco and London this fall, with Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver and Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, under consideration [...] “Asians are used to being the third actress to the right of the star,” said Ruthie Ann Miles, a Korean-American who spent 10 months in a blond wig on the road in “Annie” before landing the role of Mrs. Marcos. “The wig,” she added, “was supposed to make me fit in with my two white sisters. Those were the things a lot of us did to get work.”

In the days of books where sometimes it's not always easy to find them featuring kids of color, I say to you, check out Rich Lo's "Father's Chinese Opera" from Sky Pony Press:

In an intriguing story that draws on author Rich Lo’s personal life, and features his own bright, mesmerizing illustrations, Father’s Chinese Opera (Sky Pony Press, June 2014) teaches children about hard work, patience, and the commitment needed to achieve an important goal, while introducing them to an important part of Chinese culture.

The Chinese opera is anything but boring. Songs, acrobatics, acting, and costumes make the opera a truly spectacular show to behold. Spending a summer backstage at his father’s Chinese opera, a young boy is instantly enamored with the performers and works hard to be a part of the show. Rehearsing the moves day and night with the show’s famous choreographer, the boy thinks he is soon ready to perform with the others. But the choreographer doesn’t agree. In fact, he laughs at the boy when asked to join the others in the acrobatics part of the opera. Upset, the boy runs home to sulk. What will he do next? Will he give up, or will he persevere and work his way up in the show?

Preschool-aged children will be drawn to the bright, vibrant illustrations and the main character’s determined spirit, while parents and educators will love the author’s note in the back about the history of the Chinese opera and the author’s father’s true-life experiences in it. This will give parents and educators something to discuss with children and help to expose kids to a different and rich culture. The theme of never giving up and practice makes perfect will be sure to inspire kids to work hard for their dreams

.About the Author/Illustrator

Rich Lo is a professional artist born in Canton, China, to an artistic family. His father, Lo Tok, was a famous Chinese opera composer before the family immigrated to the United States. After attending Eastern Illinois University, Lo has worked on packaging and ads for national brands, books, and large installations in public buildings. Lo lives in Chicago, Illinois.

First, this would have been better if your name would have been John, because I don't think I've actually written a Dear John letter.

Anyway...

Reading this article on how you were kicked off the air for using racial slurs when talking about racial slurs, in your response you stated:

"Just got kicked off the air until further notice. Tried to have honest discussion about racist terms and management censored my language [...] I’m trying to have an honest, adult conversations about words without resorting to alphabet soup phrases (C-word, N-word, etc)."

And I just wanted to say - I think that's great that people want to have an honest discussion about racial slurs.

But as a White Guy...you can't use the racial slurs even when talking about the racial slurs.

And it's telling that you refer to phrases like the "N-word" and "C-word" as alphabet soup phrases...

I do agree that there is a double standard on which words you can say and I think an honest discussion about that is appropriate (however I think my discussion would probably be different than yours).

But again, you still have to give power to what already exists, so you as a White Guy...you just can't say certain things.

And that's just the way it is.

Okay.

Hugs and kisses and let there be a time when the word Bubble can be inserted into your party's name,
Adam

In this intimate and powerful encounter with one of today's most politically influential artists, world-renowned Ai Weiwei is under house arrest and restricted by the Chinese authorities in everything he does. But he does it anyway.

A special one-time screening of MSPIFF 2013 Official Selection Approved for Adoption will occur on Thursday, June 26, 2014, 7pm at the Showplace Icon Theaters (1625 West End Blvd, St Louis Park, MN 55416). Don't miss your chance to see this multi-award winning animated autobiographical documentary.

Get on out and support CAAM, Cine+Mas SF, Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project (QWOCMAP), Gay Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA) and Frameline on Tuesday, June 24th from 4:30-6:30pm at QBar to celebrate! Mingle with local filmmakers and guests before the Frameline38 Centerpiece presentation of "TO BE TAKEI" at the Castro Theatre. It's free, but you have to be 21 and over to attend (so get those fake ID's ready).

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office canceled the Washington Redskins’ trademark registration on Wednesday, a move that won’t force the NFL team to change its name but fuels the intense fight by opponents to eliminate what they view as a racial slur against Native Americans.

The 99-page decision by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board said the team’s name and logo are disparaging. It dilutes the Redskins’ legal protection against infringement and hinders the team’s ability to block counterfeit merchandise from entering the country.

The ruling can't stop the team from selling merchandise with the name and the trademark is still in effect during any appeal process, so realistically there is still a long way to go.

I was watching the Kickstarter video and all I could think about was How cool is this? A short "music video" exploring the nightmarish undertones of Asian fetish inspired in part by the crapalaptic "Asian Girlz" video that made its rounds last year - and it's already 1/2 way to it's goal of $4500 bucks.

Looks like it should be cool, already has some steam, and it just needs a little push.

Just caught this commentary from Randall Park on Fresh Off The Boat. If you haven't read it - definitely give it a read because he lays it down with honesty.

People are hungry to see themselves represented on television, and people rightfully want to be represented properly. But the Asian American community is not monolithic, and proper representation means different things to different people. For example, there has been a great deal of online debate about whether or not the title Fresh Off The Boat is offensive. The answer isn’t so clear-cut: it’s yes for some, no for others. Again, members of our community do not all think alike. But with that said, this particular show is based on an amazing book bearing the same title by Eddie Huang. It is his memoir, it is his title, and I, for one, am all for it. I do, however, have my own issues with the show: first of all, the fact that I’m on it. To have a Korean American actor play the father of a Taiwanese-Chinese American family is an issue that is not lost on me.

Sounds like this is going to be a crazy good show - stay tuned for more from the PFP on their FB page.

Pork Filled Productions is proud to announce our 2014 Main Stage show! Fast Company by Carla Ching will be directed by Amy Poisson and co-produced by the Theatre Off Jackson (409 7th Ave. S., Seattle), November 1st to 22nd. This Northwest premiere event will feature Seattle actors Daniel Arreola, Mariko Kita, Kevin Lin, and Sara Porkalob.

Meet the Kwans--a Chinese American family of expert con artists, grifters, and thieves. But when daughter Blue masterminds a Very Big Score, things hit the fan for the whole family, including her brothers Francis and H, and their mother Mable. It's a fast-paced game full of twisty turns and questionable motives to see who will come out on top in this fun, stylish crime caper.

"There are crosses, double-crosses and schemes devious enough to impress the most jaded flimflammer."
--NY Times

"The plot is quick and clever."
--LA Times

"…a refreshing change of pace for theatergoers in search of entertainment more than a bit out of the ordinary."
--Stage Scene LA

"We want to give audiences a ride on the fun train," says Executive Director Roger Tang. "But along the way, they’ll discover that the story has deeper emotional themes and resonances. It’s possible for theater to be both fun AND meaningful."

Following up on the success of last year’s steampunk adventure The Clockwork Professor, Pork Filled Productions provides opportunities for Asian American theatre artists to produce exciting new work to redefine Asian American theater. Pork Filled produces shows that fully embraces how diverse our interests and creativity can be, including supernatural comedies (Big Hunk o' Burnin' Love by Prince Gomolvilas), racial farces (Yellow Face by David Henry Hwang), and yes, even zombie Shakespeare (Living Dead in Denmark by Qui Nguyen).

Carla Ching is a playwright for the CrossRoads Commissioning Project for South Coast Repertory Theatre and staff writer for USA Network’s Graceland. Fast Company received its world premiere at South Coast Repertory Theatre and was commissioned by New York’s Ensemble Studio Theatre; it is a recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award.

While I won't be able to make it down this summer like I was hoping to - because it's a badass conference for all of us - I definitely wanted to make sure and post this up on the LA Ticket Giveaway for the V3 Digital Media Conference.

V3 Digital Media Conference is coming up right around the corner. The event kicks off on Friday June 20th with an Opening Awards Reception. Then, the all day conference takes place on Saturday June 21st. Both events are being held at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo (LA). Here is the website for more info: http://v3con.com/

Registration includes admission to Friday’s Opening Awards Reception and Saturday’s all day conference, including breakfast and lunch on Saturday. Check out the full schedule and the list of speakers.

I wasn't there when Florida City Commissioner (of Wilton Manors) Ted Galatis had it out with another car - and you can read and watch the video here - but it does beg a question/comment:

Why is it that people, when they get caught saying racist slurs, always come back with something like Ted said which was, "I apologize for my use of the ’N’ word. It is something I never say" because just from a structure and data standpoint, if you never say it, then you wouldn't have said it, but since you did you can't actually use the word "never" in your apology, so you should really just say something like "I apologize for my use of the 'N' word, because I rarely say it, unless I feel threatened (or maybe just don't like someone, or think that I'm above them) and then it just comes out."

Sure, that might not go over as well from a PR standpoint, but at least it's honest.

P.S.

The man definitely needs a new fishing pic - you can totally tell he's sucking it in for the camera...

You know Erik...I'm not trying to knock you down when you're already down (figuratively and literally with the Spurs up 2-1) but let's face it - your team kinda sucked wind tonight and Lebron, LeCramp, LeDecision, LeGoingBackToOhioPlease - you can only wear him down so much before he's going back to the locker room to get some Gatorade off camera (that was a fun tweet btw).

All I'm saying is if you want to be one of the few coaches to coach a three-peat, and the first Asian American Coach to do it as well (and remember, I'm not rooting against you, I'm just not rooting for you - because I'm not like that) I think you need to break out Erik The Hardass and bring down the hammer.

Fast.

And heavy.

And do it with a song, because you know - you're Fil-Am - and a beat down doesn't mean it can't be fun.

In fact it should be fun.

Shit. You could even through in some longaniza after the beat down to show that there aren't any hard feelings.

Feeling invisible in her bland marriage, Emma moves in with her son, Elliot, who lives in a downtown L.A. loft. Elliot, a young chef, is facing foreclosure on his lackluster Chinese restaurant--and he's gay. Emma's disapproval has made strangers of mother and son, but the two need each other now more than ever, as Emma explores her newfound freedom--with the encouragement of a saucy new friend--and Elliot confronts his fears of intimacy. Words may fail them, but they find a common language through food.

This auspicious directorial debut from David Au offers a fresh take on life, love and food in the heart of Los Angeles. This deliciously emotional and redemptive story is supported by an endearing cast led by Sharon Omi, Teddy Chen Culver, Nicole Sullivan and a cameo from Star Trek legend George Takei.

I'm a few days late with this (again, I'm lazy, but don't worry, I will flog myself as I should), but I got to screen the first 3 episodes of the series and I think there will be a lot of people that will enjoy this. New episodes will be put out every Thursday and the Web premiere just went online a few days ago.

"Ni hao, kumusta, and welcome to the official site of 2 Girls | 1 Asian! Kaela and Kelly here-- the creators/producers/Asians of this webseries.

After meeting in college, we bonded over theater collaborations, our romantic lives (or lack thereof), and most importantly, television. We were drawn to entertainers who manage to break stereotypes with humor and objectivity; we loved female-driven comedy, but didn’t often see ourselves reflected in the entertainment we're offered.

As an answer to that, we created 2 Girls | 1 Asian, which follows Caela and Kelliye, two half-Asian actresses living together in Brooklyn. Our first season follows the girls through breakups, career trials, apartment troubles, and even fissions within their friendship, but ultimately it's the story of two girls who value each other more than they value the mistakes the other makes. Our perspective on race in America gives us a unique filter through which to view the "single girl in the big city" narrative, so our episodes actively work to subvert Asian American stereotypes we're tired of seeing. Plus, there’s a musical episode! We’re looking forward to sharing our independent production online June 5, 2014.

The Translation of Han (released June of 2014) is a collection of poetry and prose about the spiritual, psychological, personal and political aspects of historical and intergenerational trauma amongst a people; it explores issues of race, adoption, culture, gender, lateral oppression, violence, love, family, and grief and loss. It is argued that Han cannot be understood by others who are not raised within the culture, including adopted Koreans; however, Hei Kyong Kim argues that adoptees were born out of trauma, out of Han. This body of work reflects an immigrant experience that has too often been forgotten.

"The Translation of Han is an important, ambitious book full of risks and rewards. It reads like a museum: beautiful, compelling, and daring. This remarkable debut explores trauma, survival, kinship and family, and the essential fight for identity. Kim writes about difficult subject matter with grace and accuracy. She is the real deal. This book is an absolute treasure." - Lee Herrick, author of Gardening Secrets of the Dead and This Many Miles from Desire

"Hei Kyong Kim's fearless book The Translation of Han will open up new and haunting spaces in your psyche. Her images of blood and ocean trace and re-member irretrievable losses as well as fierce resistances. This is a book with fight, with teeth and claws. Get lost within its pages, lose your masks, put on others, and dance to its generous, timeless rhythms." - Sun Yung Shin, author of Rough, and Savage and Skirt Full of Black

"Hei Kyong Kim invites you in after she kicks the door down. She is fearless, writes with unapologetic fury, and is just the right kind of merciless. This incendiary book is part lament, part firebomb thrown by a Transracial Adoptee who refuses to be silent. These poems are, to borrow from her own poems, unfiltered webs: poems for those who belong and don’t belong. Her voice is instantly essential. Welcome this book into a world that desperately needs it." - Bao Phi, author of Sông I Sing

"It is rare to find a book like The Translation of Han, a book that seamlessly weaves together pain, grief, loss, anger, heartbreak, isolation, love, passion, redemption, triumph, and the supernatural and places all of it within a broad context that includes multiple geographic locations, cultures, and identities. The book is deftly written. It is most certainly haunting. And it will definitely resonate with those of us who have struggled to find our way in the world." - Kevin Haebom Vollmers, founder of Land of Gazillion Adoptees

"Like a spirit guide, Hei Kyong Kim’s stunning debut leads us through overlapping worlds of family and identity, blood and body, language and food, eternally haunted by an unquenchable thirst for connection. As I read it, I felt lit with the glow of recognition and shook with pleasure at her bravura style. Whether measuring out intimate, lyric delight in the ‘tiny bird lips’ of her daughter or embellishing the sweeping narrative of her own birth, Kim’s is a voice in full command of its power. I would follow it anywhere." - Katie Hae Leo, author of the chapbook Attempts at Location, playwright, and essayist

L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling seems to be sitting pretty. Sure, he endured bad press and probably would not have sold the team were it not for the NBA action. He may not even get to do his own negotiating, since the NBA stepped in. But a $2 billion sale to Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer isn’t half bad.

That's what you call it?

Bad press?

And then you go over his tax structure, which was interesting and I know the intent of the article...but...

I just take issue with how you use words like "bad press" versus "racist actions", or even "alleged racist actions", or "bad press related to his views on race" and "NBA action" versus "NBA action, that threatened to throw him out because his views on race...".

See? I wordsmithed it so you don't even have to use the word Racist.

Call me crazy (but not an old White Guy) - but it just feels a little Whitewashed.

In some circles (actually it's probably most) Phil Yu of Angry Asian Man is referred to as the Godfather of API bloggers. Sure, other members of the API community were doing their thing, but AAM was, and is, doing it on another level and on a more general scope for the whole API community.

And that takes a lot of work.

In Phil Yu's own words "It was basically like working two full-time careers."

And I can attest to that as well. When I was going full force while also doing my regular job, it was like working two gigs (now I'm kind of a part-timer who comes in when he wants to) and there's just a lot of work to be done: finding the stories and choosing the things you want to talk about, researching for more information, sifting through press releases (and then having to format them for online reading), sizing pics, emailing back and forth - and sometimes the last thing (but also important...) - adding in some words to a post and trying to make it sound coherent, without a cadre of editors.

It's fun - but it's still a lot of work.

So it's time to give back - join the Angry Asian Nation and help make it grow with a modest one time or recurring donation (we're talking like $1 or $2 here people) and keep the Angry going.

Yuri Kochiyama was born Mary Yuriko Nakahara in 1921 and raised in San Pedro, California, in a small working-class neighborhood. When Pearl Harbor was bombed, the life of Yuri’s family took a turn for the worse. Her father, a first-generation Japanese immigrant, was arrested by the FBI. When President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Executive Order 9066 ordering the removal of persons of Japanese descent from “strategic areas,” Yuri and her family were sent to an internment camp in Jerome, Arkansas. Due to these events, Yuri started seeing the parallels between the treatment of African Americans in Jim Crow South and the incarceration of Japanese Americans in remote internment camps during World War II. Subsequently she decided to devote her life to struggles against racial injustice. In 1946, Yuri married Bill Kochiyama, a veteran of the 442nd Regiment. The couple moved to New York City where her political activism would flourish. They had two girls and four boys; most of them would become actively involved in black liberation struggles, the anti-war movement, and the Asian-American movement. In 1960 the family moved to a low-income housing project in Harlem. Yuri and her family invited many civil rights activists, such as the Freedom Riders, to their home gatherings. They also became members of the Harlem Parents Committee, a grassroots organization fighting for safer streets and integrated education. In 1963, Yuri met Malcolm X and they cultivated a friendship that would strongly influence Yuri’s political career. Yuri had been listening to Malcolm’s speech when he was assassinated while speaking to the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU) members. Yuri’s keen interest in equality and justice led her to work for the sake of political prisoners in the U.S. and other parts of the world in her later years. Yuri was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 for her tireless struggles against imperialism and racism.

I never knew Yuri Kochiyama personally, but I knew of her work, her civil rights activism, her history, and her will - to make a better and fairer world - and it moved me and made me a better person. For a while I thought about going around the country, videoing people in the API community and I knew if I did, that I would have to see if I could sit down and meet with her - because it was Yuri Kochiyama.

I just imagined sitting down, listening to her talk, the light on her face, relishing in a soul that I should forever be indebted to for what she had done and the courage that it took to do, and I just smiled at the thought of it.

2008 Year In Review

If you're looking for the 2008 In Review Posts, the link list has been moved out, but you can still get to them all by following this link which pulls them up by label (they'll be in reverse so go to the oldest post to read them in order).

2007 In Review Posts

If you're looking for the 2007 In Review Posts, the link list has been moved out, but you can still get to them all by following this link which pulls them up by label (they'll be in reverse so go to the oldest post to read them in order).

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